Anybody ever seen this type rumble seat steps?

[Hamtown Al]

One of my recent acquisitions came with these rumble seat steps.
I've not seen them before. The PO said they came on the car when he got it in 1996 and it had supposedly been sitting since the PO passed in 1961. His widow kept it as he left it all that time.
The first picture is as found in 1996 in Huntsville, AL.
The second is at my house.
The last is a close-up of the rumble seat steps I'm seeking information about.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[Charlie Stephens]

They look home made to me, how do they look up close?

Charlie Stephens

 

[Drbrown]

2x Charlie.

 

[DavidG]

Times 3.

 

[pooch]

If they have round concentric ridges, they look like repop 30/31 Model A steps.

 

[Charlie Stephens]

If they have round concentric ridges, they look like repop 30/31 Model A steps.

I was looking more at the risers when I made the comment but in retrospect the plates also look wrong for a '36.

Charlie Stephens

 

[JM 35 Sedan]

Al, the lower step, next to the right-hand rear taillight bracket, looks something like this special bracket that was used on standard model cars with rumble seats, that did not originally have a right-hand taillight. I think this came in a box of extra parts with my '35 standard 5w RS coupe because the PO had added a rear right-hand taillight bracket w/attached step, and eliminating this special step bracket. Don Rogers mentions these special brackets on page 21 of the 1935-36 Ford Book, but I could not find a picture of this bracket in the book. I may have an engineering drawing on this special bracket somewhere in my saved files. If I can find that, I will post it here as well.

ps...this is not a homemade part, but the rubber pad, that slips over the original step/brake pedal, is a repro part.

 

[Don Rogers]

Al, Nothing about the bottom rear step plate is original or correct. Someone made up this combination in the past. You can see where the rear fender is reworked. The tail light bracket appears to have been shifted to the left and the step pad attached in some fashion. A domestic 36 roadster would have come as a deluxe model with two tail lights. The passenger side would be equipped to accept a step pad as shown below. This car has really been worked on. It even has a 35 rear bumper.

 

[Charlie Stephens]

Al, the lower one, next to the right-hand rear taillight bracket, looks something like this special bracket that was used on standard model cars with rumble seats, that did not originally have a right-hand taillight. Don Rogers mentions these special brackets on page 21 of the 1935-36 Ford Book. I may have an engineering drawing on this special bracket somewhere in my saved files. If I can find that, I will post it here as well.

ps...this is not a homemade part.

This looks like a Ford part. The picture in post #1 is so far away I can't tell much. A close up would sure help.

Charlie Stephens

 

[blucar]

As I recall the original Ford rumble seat fender steps had a reinforcing bracket/plate under them that attached to the fender and the inner wheel well.
Some place I have one of those step plates for a '36.
Many years ago I acquired a complete 36 Rumble assembly, with the tail-light and fender step which I took out of a '36 Coupe. My intent was to install a rumble seat in my '36, I could not bring myself to modify the deck lid opening by removing the lower drip rail. After thinking about the project for twenty-five years I decided to sell the assembly to someone else. Could not find the step re-enforcing bracket at the time of sale, it turned up about ten years later.

 

[DavidG]

John,

Agreed that in your photos is the real deal, but that on the roadster fender is not the same part.

Don,

The front fenders have also been modified, in this case with a cut-off tool.

 

[Hamtown Al]

First, THANKS to all for the added information and help. All contributions are greatly appreciated in solving the mystery.
I have removed both steps and taken them apart to add further insight to the mystery.
The mystery in my mind is solved. Both steps seem to clearly be home made and one seems to be patterned after the original Ford part shared above by JM35Sedan.
They took a fair amount of time making each one as evidenced by the maker going to the trouble to include TWO mounting bolts and reinforcing plates to go inside the fender for both steps. I agree that they seem to be Model A steps as described above and one was ground off for fender clearance. Both steps had nicely cut out rubber gaskets made to protect the paint.
It completely puzzles me why they even made the top step when many similar cars just installed the top step through a hole in the top of the fender.
Anyway, thanks again for the help.

 

[pooch]

Your last pic is a nice looking step.

It has spiralling out fine serrations.

The repop Model A step has less concentric rings and no serrations.

I have not seen an original Model A step, so if this is one, then it is cool.